Toxic and Dangerous Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat

It is very common to find dogs sitting next to the dinner table, looking up longingly to entice their masters to give them a quick bite of food off their plates. Dog lovers feeding their furry friends table scrapes or small treats is common practice.

If you are among this group of pet lovers who can’t resist the puppy dog eyes at mealtime, it’s important to understand that you may be putting your beloved pet in danger by feeding them certain leftovers.

A dog is part of the family, but that doesn’t mean they can share all the food you eat. Many foods are bad for them. The dietary needs of humans and dogs are different. In fact, foods that are healthy for humans may not have the same effect on dogs.

Being a dog owner, you must become aware of human foods that are harmful to your dog’s health.

Onions

Onions contain toxic components that may damage the red blood cells and provoke hemolytic anemia accompanied by the formation of Heinz bodies in erythrocytes of animals like dogs and cats.

All forms of onions, including dehydrated, raw or cooked onions, or any kind of table scraps containing cooked onions, are toxic to dogs.

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts also top the list of foods that can be devastating for dogs.

In certain cases, after ingesting macadamia nuts, your furry friend may suffer from a series of symptoms, which includes a rise in body temperature, faster heartbeat, weakness and vomiting. In severe cases, dogs may even suffer from paralysis.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins are beneficial for humans, but they are not that beneficial for your four-legged friends.

Grapes and raisins cause toxicity in dogs due to the fungicide, herbicide or pesticide contamination present in them. Other possible causes include heavy metal contamination, high concentrations of vitamin D, and fungus or mold contamination.

Avocados

The delicious and creamy avocado fruit should never be given to your dog. The compound persin, a stomach-upsetting substance, in avocados is highly toxic to dogs. This compound is present in the fruit as well as the plant and its leaves.

Also, the slippery pit can easily become lodged in your dog’s intestinal tract, causing severe pain due to blockage that requires surgery.

Apple Cores

The fruit core as well as the seeds contain toxic cyanide, which can be harmful to your pet. Cyanide hinders blood from carrying oxygen throughout the body, and many bodily functions will stop without a proper oxygen supply.

You can give your dog an apple as a treat, but only after removing the core and the seeds. Also, do not give a rotten apple to your dog.

Alcohol

Do not give any form of alcohol to your pets. Also, make sure your pet does not lick up spilled beer or whisky.

Alcohol can affect your dog’s liver and brain, as it does yours. However, the effects are more severe in dogs, as their organs are smaller than human organs.

Plus, exposure to alcohol can cause a dangerous drop in the blood sugar level of your pet, who may need to get glucose rapidly to avoid brain damage. Very low blood sugar can cause seizures in animals.

Bacon

You should not give either raw or cooked bacon to your dog, no matter how much your pet gives you the pity look.

Cooked bacon is a highly fatty food that can cause canine pancreatitis, an often fatal condition. Fat trimmings, whether cooked or uncooked can also cause this problem.

Plus, being very high in calories, bacon can easily cause obesity, hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease.

Also, the high salt content in bacon can lead to bloating. In some cases, bloating can cause an enormous amount of gas in the stomach, which can be very harmful to your pet.

Wild Mushrooms

Ingestion of wild mushrooms is dangerous for dogs, while common white mushrooms appear to be safe for dogs to eat.

Once consumed, wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, restlessness, diarrhea, convulsions, excessive urination, salivation, coma or death. If not treated timely, the accumulation of toxins in the pet’s body can lead to kidney and liver failure.

As with most poisonings, the best method of controlling mushroom toxicity in dogs is preventing exposure.

Any Food with Artificial Sweeteners

Anything that contains artificial sweeteners should not be given to your dog. These products may contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that can lead to the over-release of insulin, kidney failure and worse.